According to the luxury yacht's owner, the Material Girl was keen to give her youngsters a taste of Norwegian nature and see the Oslo Opera House

04 AUGUST 2009

As she tours Europe on her Sticky & Sweet tour with her children, Madonna is clearly determined to fit in as much family time as possible.

With a day to spare between her two Oslo concert dates, the singer took her adopted children David and Mercy on a boat trip in the Norwegian capital.

Shielded from the elements in a fur-lined hat, the pop star was spotted helping three year-old David onto the dock after their trip aboard an 80-foot luxury yacht. Meanwhile one of her dancers took charge of four-year-old Mercy, who was showing off a new braided hairstyle.

According to the boat's owner, the Material Girl was keen to give her youngsters a taste of Norwegian nature and see the Oslo Opera House, which lies at the head of the Oslofjord.

After making enquiries about chartering a yacht, she shared the hour-long trip with 20 of her dancers after learning they had already booked the boat she wanted.

Making the most of their stop offs around Europe is clearly high on the 50-year-old mum's agenda. She reportedly wants to take David, Mercy, and their 12-year-old sister Lourdes on a visit to Auschwitz when her tour rolls into Poland later this month.

"It won't be an easy trip but it is an ultimate life affirming experience, and one Madonna - because of her strong Kabbalah beliefs - does not want to ignore, says a source.

"She wants her children to appreciate how lucky they are and to learn about mistakes made in the past," an insider said.